Every year, there are hundreds of children in need of foster care. Unfortunately, there are often limited resources with which to accommodate them properly. If you have always wanted to make a difference in the lives of those who truly need it, there are a few reasons why becoming a foster parent may be the right choice for you.
Giving Back
Everyone wants to do their part to strengthen communities, and becoming a foster parent can be just the way to do so. By sharing your home and experiences, you can play an integral part in preserving families going through a rough time in life. Keep in mind that children in need of foster care are not only orphans, but also those from a broken family. Both are in need of a caring and loving family to complete their lives.
Fill Your Empty Nest
Many parents go through an empty-nest feeling once their children move out on their own. As an experienced parent, you have a unique insight, and you will be better able to accommodate children no matter their age. Sometimes, children risk being separated from their siblings. If you have a few rooms that have been made available by your older children, you could fill them with kids in need while keeping their family together.
Rewarding Challenge
Being a foster parent presents unique challenges, but those who become involved reap even more rewards. You get the unique chance to become a mentor for a child in need of attention, love and care. The children will always remember you as the one who was there when the chips were down and they had nowhere else to turn.
Qualifications to Become a Foster Parent
You don’t have to have an extensive knowledge in child development or special training to put your resources to use for a child who needs it. In Orange County, you can be a foster parent on your own, as long as you own or rent a home. State laws also dictate that a foster parent must be at least 18 years old.
The main thing is that you have the means and the desire to take in a child in need of the right role model to prepare them for life. Change the life of a child today by caring for one through foster care organizations around Riverside County and Orange County, like ChildNet Youth and Family Services.
Sources:
4 Reasons to Consider Foster Parenting, National Youth Advocate Program
What is Foster Care?, OC4Kids
